Last week the News revealed how the new parking charges are due to be implemented from April 1.

The charges were proposed back in October last year as part of a Cambridge City Council public consultation into parking charges for 2017-18.

The council has been considering changes to car park prices from April this year, including increasing prices on weekends and decreasing them on 'off peak' Mondays and Tuesdays - in a fresh bid to tackle congestion.

The rest of the city's car parks have minimal price rise proposals, of no more than 30p per hour, and some parking costs will also be reduced during the week to make these times more attractive to visitors and shoppers.

Residents took to social media to share their views on the new parking charges, with many reacting in anger and frustration.

On the News’ online story, commenter Cambo wrote: “Another council rip off and more reason to avoid the city centre.”

Another reader said he felt sorry for the workers on a Sunday – as the new charge meant they would have to work ‘an extra two hours for nothing’.

CamCitizen wrote online: “Most city centre business tends to come as a result of leisurely browsing, but when you have excessive parking charges, people are always on the clock and so businesses suffer hugely.

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One commenter online wrote: “Goodbye Cambridge, hello Milton Keynes, no bikes on the roads, hundreds of shops under one roof and thousands of parking spaces - plus you can get there for the same time it takes to get into Cambridge and for less than the cost of parking.”

The final recommendation for the parking charges was sent to the city council’s environment scrutiny committee on January 17 where councillors agreed the proposals, but they were still subject to the approval of the council’s overall budget in February.

Minutes recently published from the council meeting reveal that out of the “broad mixture of businesses, residents and private individuals”, less than 10 per cent of responses received were in favour of the Grand Arcade parking rise on a Sunday, with not one business welcoming the price hike.

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Cllr Kevin Blencowe, executive councillor for planning policy and transport, said: “We have looked closely at all of the options and I am pleased that we have been able to cut parking charges on two weekdays and freeze them for other weekdays and Saturdays too.

“Blue badge holders, Shopmobility customers and people parking during the evening or overnight will see no change.

“However, we do have to balance the need to invest in good quality parking services that offer value for money for short stay parking, with the need to reduce the city’s congestion and harmful emissions.

“While Sunday charges are set to increase, we will keep to our plan of helping customers to beat the queues at peak times, by offering cheaper alternatives to the busiest car parks on Saturdays and Sunday.”